Call for applications
John Trim fellowship
at the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) in Graz, Austria
January to March 2014
The ‘John Trim’ fellowship has been established in honour of the former Director of the Council of Europe’s Modern Languages Projects and co-author of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. The fellowship targets talented young professionals in language education and addresses aspects of innovation in the learning, teaching and assessment of languages in Europe. The rationale of the ‘John Trim’ fellowship directly supports the implementation of the Centre’s mission, specifically the following strategic objectives:
- to promote dialogue and exchange among the various actors on the field;
- to support programme-related networks and research projects.
This fellowship, which is sponsored through a donation of the family and friends of John Trim, is offered by the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML)as part of its 2012-2015 programme (
The fellowship will be awarded to a young graduate from a Council of Europe member state[1]. Selection criteria will be based upon the profile and qualifications outlined below.
The fellowship will be based at the ECML in Graz, Austria and will cover a period of three months.
The selected fellow will be guided by the ECML staff and cooperating experts.
Objectives of the fellowship:
The John Trim fellowship 2014 targets innovative developments in language learning and teaching seeking to support the implementation of the principles and pathways described in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The fellowship will focus on two publications of the ECML:
the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages (EPOSTL) and
the Framework of Reference for Pluralistic Approachesto Languages and Cultures (FREPA)
The fellow is expected to investigate their practical application in teaching and learning and in teacher education.
Tasks of the fellowship:
- Provide support for a cooperation project between the ECML and ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) entitled: “Using the ACTFL/NCATE[2] (CAEP[3]) Teacher Standards and EPOSTL descriptors of teacher competences to define excellence in language teaching”:
Within the context of this research project an online survey is carried out to highlightgood teaching practice. The fellow is expected to: - provide assistance in the evaluation of the results of an online survey;
- document the results of the survey.
- Provide support for the further development of the Framework of Reference for Pluralistic Approaches to Languages and Cultures website (
An online survey on the FREPA website generates information on users’ profiles and needs. Based on the results of the survey and in cooperation with relevant experts the website should be further developed. The fellow is expected to: - evaluate the results of the online survey;
- identify areas for further development;
- implement changes on the website together with ECML staff and FREPA experts.
- Provide support for launching projects which aim at using FREPA tools for CEFR related developments:
These developments will in particular explore how to use FREPA descriptors for learning processes and learning outcomes and how to design a tool for teacher education building on EPOSTL, FREPA, the European Profiling Grid and other relevant publications. The fellow is expected to: - collect initial ideas from ECML experts and other interested parties;
- based on this input, provide initial project ideas for:
- selecting and validating FREPA descriptors for use in the context of the CEFR;
and - for developing a teacher education tool representing different aspects of the CEFR philosophy.
Expected outputs of the fellowship:
- A document presenting the results of the ACTFL-ECML survey
- New features on the FREPA website meeting the needs of users
- Basic project outlines for CEFR related developments
Duration of the fellowship: 7 January– 31March 2014
Profile:a post-graduate in the area of language (teacher) education
Expected qualifications, skills and experience:
- language skills: CEFR level C1 (or higher) in one of the organisation’s official languages (English or French) and B2 (or higher) in the other;
- good knowledge of the CEFR, EPOSTL and FREPA and other relevant publications in language education;
- experience in using these tools in teacher education and/or in language teaching
- good team-working skills;
- result-oriented working style.
Conditions: the ECML offers a lump-sum allowance of 3,450 EUR covering the 3 month duration of the fellowship. Travel costs will not be covered.The fellow will be insured against accident and sickness occurring in the course of the fellowship. The fellow will also be entitled to 2 days of leave per month.The ECML will assist the successful candidate in finding accommodation.
Procedure: applications should be submitted on the form provided. In addition candidates should includetwo documents:
- a language passport issued online by Europass/Cedefop (
- a one page statement in English or French summarisingkey qualifications, skills and professional experiences which will allow the candidate to produce the expected outputs of the fellowship (as listed above).In particular, this statement should give an outline of how the candidate intends to approach the work he/she is applying for. References to relevant publications and websites should be included.
Applications should be sent to:
Closing date forapplications:25 October 2013
[1]Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Republic of Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, ''the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia'', Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom
[2]NCATE = National Foreign Language Standards Collaborative
[3]CAEP = Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation